Monstrous Marquees

[Monsters For Sale]

All across America in 1932:



White Zombie - Regina - Los Angeles, California - 1932.




White Zombie - Rialto - Allentown, Pennsylvania - 1932.




White Zombie - Rivoli - New York City, New York - 1932.

(Are those live actors or life-sized dummies above the name of the theatre?)


Today, "White Zombie" is considered one of Bela Lugosi's more interesting minor films.  But in 1932, Lugosi was fresh from his 1931 sensation, "Dracula".  Consequently, the campaign for "White Zombie" went all out from coast to coast.  I wish we had photos of marquees from more of the theatres showing this film in 1932.

Looks like it was a big deal in Canada, as well:



White Zombie - Parisien - Montreal, Canada - 1932


I don't know how much of that facade was constructed just for this one movie, but I have seen later photos of this same theater and it looked like pretty much of a hole in the wall in those images.

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Scanners and Exterminator, The - Los Angeles Theatre - Broadway, Los Angeles, California - 1981

Doesn't this old theatre have a great look?

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Hush Hush, Sweet Charlotte - Saenger -  1111 Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana


Looks like they are taking pride in the fact that it was filmed in Baton Rouge.

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Cat Women of the Moon and Monster From the Ocean Floor - Imperial - Montreal, Canada - 1954

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Bedlam - Rialto - New York City, New York - May, 1946


The premier theatre for Bedlam.  "FIRST TIME ON ANY SCREEN!"

[Mike Scott]

All those "White Zombie" fronts are amazing! 

[Hepcat]

Looks like it was a big deal in Canada, as well:



White Zombie - Parisien - Montreal, Canada - 1932


I don't know how much of that facade was constructed just for this one movie, but I have seen later photos of this same theater and it looked like pretty much of a hole in the wall in those images.

Hmmmmm. In 1932 Le Parisien was called the Princess Cinema:



It wasn't renamed Le Parisien until 1963:

Le Parisien - Cinema Treasures

Sadly it's now closed, but the long stretch of Rue Sainte-Catherine in Montréal on which it was located is the primary commercial artery of Montréal and as such is very lively. Montréal is probably the single most vibrant city in North America. What gives Montréal a big edge is that unlike the other cities known for their entertainment value such as New Orléans, New York and San Francisco, there's no such thing as "Stay away from these areas after dark" parts of the city.

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Isle of the Dead and House of Dracula - Loop - Detroit, Michigan - 1946

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Star Wars and Viva Knievel - Rialto - Peoria, Illinois - June, 1977  - (Coming Soon)

On second thought, Viva Knievel may be the co-presentation with the movie currently showing.  Brothers has a plot copying the Angela Davis story - famous at the time.

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Moonchild - Fox - Riverside, California - 1974

Obscure little oddity that was shot in 1971 and had limited release as The Moon Child that year.   It was re-released as Moonchild in 1974.  The name John on the marquee refers to John Carradine.

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Star Wars - Maraba -  São Paulo, Brazil - 1977

[Mike Scott]

Isle of the Dead and House of Dracula - Loop - Detroit, Michigan - 1946

Man, they sure got that place plastered with posters and stills!

[Mike Scott]

Star Wars - Maraba -  São Paulo, Brazil - 1977

What's wrong with Vader's eyes? 

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Howling, The and Macho Callahan - Times Square Theatre - New York City, New York - 1981.


Kinda sad.  The Howling's first New York run in 1981, and it's paired with a 1970 western.

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What's wrong with Vader's eyes?   

He looks like he's been goosed by a light saber.